Cruise Job Information From ITF

Everything below was obtained third-hand, and (apparently)
represents the view of the International Transport Workers'
Federation (ITF). You should read it in that light. It
does point out some important issues that you should consider,
regardless of where your politics about unions lie.

You live in a big city, or a little town. It might
possibly be your only opportunity for work. Or, you've just finished
your studies, and have a summer break. Or you've already worked in a
restaurant or hotel, and want to gain new experiences. Or, you're bored!
And then you see that ad: Adventure! Romance! Glamour! Get paid to
travel the world! Earn big bucks!

Yes! Yes! Yes! Where do I sign?

Sound familiar?

But, do you really know what you've gotten yourself
into? Before rushing too far into the dream, we at the International
Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) would like to offer you a somewhat
different view of the life seen through cruise ship port holes.
Unfortunately, it's not as flashy as the one put forth in the hiring ads
or manuals, but considering your status on board a cruise ship, being
aware of the reality experienced by so many other seekers of adventure
who have gone before you, just may save you, not only money, but future
hardships.

The nature of "cruising" has of course changed much since
its inception, having gone from mode - albeit luxurious - of
transport, to entertainment, to its current status of
tourism. Cruising is currently the largest growing tourist
industry in the world, with the four and one half million
passengers of 1993 expected to nearly double to eight
million by the year 2000, according to industry experts.

This enormous growth creates new and expanding job
opportunities, not only for people interested in occupations
in the tourism services industries, but also for those
simply wishing to get away. If you are already a seafarer,
or someone looking to establish a career in the tourism
services industry, or an adventure seeker above all else, be
advised that taking employment on a cruise ship may very
well be an adventure, although probably not what you had in
mind.

First things first: You are a seafarer at sea. And with
few exceptions, you are probably also on a Flag of
convenience (Foc) ship. Put the two together, and you will
find yourself in an environment unlike any you've probably
ever known.

Life at sea is not anything to be taken lightly. For the
obvious reasons of its nature, it needs be governed by
specific laws: maritime laws. This may entail such things
as a virtual military hierarchy of authority, that must be
strictly respected. In crew member contracts, for instance,
it is not unusual to find language such as: The captain is
the highest authority onboard.

There are also rules and regulations dictating health and
safety, not only for passengers, but also for the crew.
Previously - in those good ol' days - national governments
established maritime regulations, to ensure high standards
for things such as ship seaworthiness, and health and
safety, which obviously necessitate decent working
conditions and wages for crew members.

Today, however, there is chaos on the high seas, in the
form of runaway Foc shipping registries. This means that a
ship is owned in one country, and registered in another
country. This is usually done for financial reasons, and it
is a double-sided dirty deal, because the country which
opens its registry does so as a way of earning money, and
thus strives to be the most attractive registry for ship
owners. Attractive to a ship owners, are such things that
reduce operating costs (thus increasing profits, and
reducing safety!), like inferior crew working conditions and
wages, and lax health and safety standards.

It is a system of convenience above all else, hence the
term Flags of convenience. Ships, such as cruise ships,
flying flags from countries like Panama, Liberia, and the
Bahamas, to name a few, are Foc ships.

This is an important thing for you to know, for you will
have to consider the consequences of this system for you:
the ship is owned in one country, and registered in another,
and you, as a crew member probably come from yet another
country.

Where, for instance, or to whom, can you turn in the
event of personal - or collective crew - difficulty? What
are your specific rights, and or obligations?
In one cruise ship company, the contract states:

The Employee shall be initially employed on board the
ship stated in the Employment Agreement and shall be subject
to the rights and obligations as are set forth in the
Maritime Laws of the Bahamas. Employer and Employee agree
that any dispute or claims arising under this Agreement
shall be governed and adjudicated pursuant to laws of the
Bahamas, regardless of any other legal remedies with may be
available.

Company regulation further states that you are yourself
responsible for knowing all maritime rules and regulations;
and that it is your own personal duty to acquaint yourself
with all current ship board regulations. This is, of course,
a very important, and no less imposing responsibility,
especially for someone who has never been at sea before.

In the past, when ships were owned and registered in the
same country, they were also crewed by people from that
country, who could turn to their own national trade unions,
not only for the establishment and assurance of decent
working conditions and wages, but in the event of
difficulties. On international Foc vessels, however,
seafarers no longer have this basic right. Hence onboard
regulation is arbitrarily set by company policy, whose main
goal is profit making.

This is where the ITF comes in, because it doesn't
necessarily have to be this way. And you can help to make
the difference. You are not without rights - or help!

The International Transport Workers' Federation - ITF -
is a worldwide federation of transport workers' trade
unions. Founded in 1896, it is organized in eight industrial
sections: seafaring, docks, railways, road transport, civil
aviation, inland navigation, fisheries and tourism services.
It represents the interests of transport workers at world
level and fights against the abuses of the Foc system.

The ITF is unique in the world of trade unions in that it
acts directly on behalf of individual seafarers who work on
board flag of convenience vessels. (this is, of course, due
to the fact, that owing to the structure of Foc shipping,
its workers cannot organize in national unions.)

And for nearly fifty years now, the ITF has been waging a
Flag of Convenience Campaign, which aims to eliminate the
Foc system and help seafarers who suffer from its unjust and
exploitative practices.

You may or may not be familiar with the ITF, but ship
owners the world over are, and so much so, that Foc
contracts sometimes even include a clause prohibiting
seafarers from taking contact with the ITF. That should tell
you the strength and importance of our organization.

Information is power. It is just as important to know
your rights, as it is to know your obligations. Even more
so, it is important to know where to turn to gain
information and assistance. You're not only a little person
on a big ship in a bigger ocean. Part of the ITF Foc
Campaign is a network of Inspectors in ports the world over,
who are already at work every day helping seafarers on Foc
ships. These dedicated individuals not only inform seafarers
of their rights, but also intervene on their behalf in cases
of ship owner neglect, where crews sometimes are left to
work without pay, or forced to work in substandard
conditions.

The ITF Inspectors co-ordinate the active solidarity of
ITF maritime workers whose dockworker and seafarer
membership provide practical industrial solidarity action
where local conditions permit - in many ports, for example,
ITF maritime unions will support a crew strike with a
sympathy blockade or boycott. This support action often
makes the difference between victory and defeat.

It is fair to say that most ITF action occurs against
cargo ships and there are practical difficulties with
holding a strikebound cruise ship in many ports - but the
ITF is now committed to extending the successful Foc
campaign to the cruise sector. This is because you - cruise
ship workers - have demanded we take up your plight.

Because this is a new campaign and because solidarity
support needs to be carefully organised in ports where we
know we can win, it is very, very important that any cruise
ship action be taken in close co-ordination with the ITF. In
some ports we may recommend no action, in others we may want
time to prepare. Before you do anything, talk to the ITF, or
an ITF Cruise Campaign co-ordinator.

The ITF would, of course, like to see the demise of the
Foc open registry system. Until that time however, it
strives as an organization, to protect the rights, and look
after the interests of those individuals who either need to,
or choose to work onboard Foc vessels. It pursues an agenda
to assure decent working conditions and wages, as a key
aspect of maritime health and safety.

As you may know, in cruise ship reality, promises of high
earnings turn out to be statements of wages dependent on
tips alone. Paradise pales in the face of employees who
complain of over work and abuse. And the idea of modern
tourist travel turns ugly in light of the seemingly
institutional racism onboard a number of cruise ships, where
more preferable accommodations, wages and working conditions
are given to white Europeans and Americans, while others
(mostly Asians) are tucked under deck, not to be seen by the
public; doing "dirty work" and being paid far less than
their deck-side colleagues.

The ITF is committed to changing this! We seek a cruise
industry regulated by negotiated trade union agreements,
based on a respect for basic human rights and a fair wage.
In the first instance we are approaching the companies that
operate cruise ships and asking them to conclude ITF
acceptable agreements. If they refuse, their ships will be
targeted for action by ITF port unions and we will also be
mounting a consumer boycott campaign against unorganised
vessels.

This campaign is the direct result of the appeals made to
the ITF by exploited seafarers on cruise ships. In order to
win, we need your continuing active support.

Talk to your brothers and sisters on board, get organised
and act democratically and collectively but above all else,
contact the ITF and co-ordinate with us. Together we cannot
lose.

For more information, telephone the ITF on +44 171 403 2733 or email
info@itf.org.uk